Sensory Evaluation of Non-Dairy Probiotic Beverages

This study measured the survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 in non-dairy probiotic beverages over a 28-day storage period and to determine which sample was most preferred on measures of appearance, consistency, flavour, texture, and overall acceptability. Three non-dairy samples and one control milk sample were prepared. The non-dairy samples were soy (1:3 product-to-water ratio), almond (1:3), and peanut (1:5). L. rhamnosus GR-1 remained viable (107 CFU/ml) in all samples over 28 days storage period and changes over time were dependent on the sample (P=0.03). The results of the sensory evaluation (n=90) showed that the soy and peanut samples were significantly different (P<0.03) from the control milk sample in appearance, consistency, flavour, texture, and overall acceptability. The almond sample was not rated significantly different (P>0.05) from the milk control in all categories. The results of this study suggest that probiotic almond milk may be a feasible substitute for conventional probiotic milk beverages, particularly for vegetarians who cannot consume dairy products and individuals with lactose intolerance.